The No. 1-ranked Jumbos returned to the field for the first time in 10 days over the weekend to continue their undefeated season. Tufts swept two doubleheaders: first at Bowdoin on Saturday, then at home against Bates on Sunday. The games represented important firsts for Tufts: the Bowdoin series was ...
The No. 1-ranked softball team entered the week riding a 16-game winning streak and looking forward to a full slate of games. However, the bad weather once again spoiled the team’s schedule, forcing all four of the Jumbos’ games to be postponed.With the postponement of a doubleheader at MIT on Monday ...
After a very successful spring break trip, the nationally No. 1-ranked Tufts softball team returned to Medford with a full slate of games on the schedule for this week. But due to unseasonably bad weather in Massachusetts, the team’s home opener against Bates on Friday was postponed, as was the team’s ...
Three Years of DominanceEvery year at the Matriculation Ceremony on the academic quad, Dean Lee Coffin gives a speech in which he outlines the various accomplishments of the incoming class. Tufts students, even before they matriculate, are no slouches. Coffin may identify founders of companies, inventors, ...
While the 2014-2015 school year has been highlighted by the Tufts soccer team’s National Championship victory, the 2013-2014 school year had its own fair share of success on the national stage. Headlined by the Tufts softball and men’s lacrosse teams, last spring was a very eventful season for Tufts ...
Few teams ever have the fortune to play on the biggest stage in their sport, and even fewer come away with a trophy to show for it. An even smaller percentage of elite teams have the chance to retain that trophy, and with a 6-0 win over Salisbury on May 27, the Tufts softball team joined the upper echelon ...
Strong pitching and timely hitting helped the softball team sweep its first two NESCAC East series of the year. Tufts defeated Trinity in a three-game set Friday and Saturday before downing Bowdoin in double-header action Sunday. Both series were played at home.
The softball team improved to 16-3 on Wednesday following a pair of shutout victories over the Rhode Island College Anchorwomen, 6-0 and 1-0.
Tufts' softball team lost consecutive games for the first time this season, dropping both games of a home doubleheader to Williams on Saturday. The No. 1 Jumbos had lost only once in their previous 15 games before being upset twice by their NESCAC rivals.
The No. 1 women's softball team started the 2014 campaign strong, winning 12 of its first 13 games on its annual spring break trip in Florida. Tufts is coming off its best season in program history, a year that saw the team go 46-3 en route to a NESCAC Championship and NCAA title. Matching that success will be no easy task, but early indications suggest this year's squad has the ability to do so. The Jumbos owe much of last year's success to stellar pitching. Senior pitcher Lauren Giglio, who sat out all of last season with a leg injury, and junior All-American pitcher Allyson Fournier anchor a pitching staff that led the NESCAC in earned run average (ERA) last season. Both pitchers looked in top form out of the gate last week, as the pitching staff recorded five shutouts in its first thirteen games. Fournier dominated in her six starts, earning a 0.62 ERA while averaging an incredible 15.6 strikeouts per game. Fournier was literally unhittable in Friday's outing against Bethel, recording the eighth no-hitter of her career. She struck out 15 during that game while walking only two. Her strikeouts-to-walk ratio stands at an impressive 20. Giglio was also dominant in her six starts, recording a 0.70 ERA while holding teams to under four hits per game on average. As a team, the Jumbos have posted a total ERA of 1.11 over their first 13 games. "As a senior pitcher it [has] been great to see Allyson [Fournier] developing she's obviously really strong," Giglio said. "[Sophomore] Erica [Country] and [freshman] Jasleen [Ghumman] are two young developing pitchers who will have a lot of success going forward." Tufts won its first two contests in Minneola, Fla. convincingly, beating Ramapo and Southern Maine 8-0 on Mar. 15. Worcester State would provide Tufts with its first real test of the season the following day. The upset-minded Lancers took control of the contest early, rocking County for six runs in the top of the first. Most of the damage in the frame came with two outs, as sophomore Hayley Terry and junior Taylor Hanley capitalized on RBI opportunities with back-to-back singles. The pair combined for five hits and four RBIs for Worcester in the game. The Jumbos promptly cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the frame after a three-run homerun from freshman infielder Cassie Ruscz. After County surrendered another run, Fournier came on in relief in the fourth inning and shut down the Lancers, throwing four no-hit innings and striking out 12 as the Jumbos tried to mount a comeback. Junior short stop Gracie Marshall laced an RBI single into left field to cut the lead to 7-4 in the seventh inning. The comeback effort was short-lived, however, as sophomore Meghan Rich shut down the final Jumbo batters to secure the win for her team. "I think personally I do feel a bit of pressure as a leader of the team and one of the captains to do as well as we did last year," Clair said. "We need to find this team's groove and the face of this team." After the disappointing loss to Worcester State, Tufts bounced back to win its last ten games of the trip. The streak was highlighted by Fournier's no-hitter against Bethel on Friday and a strong comeback effort against Keene State on Saturday. The Jumbos trailed 4-0 early against the Owls, but plated three unearned runs in the fifth and three more runs in the seventh to overcome the deficit and earn a hard-fought 6-4 victory. "The hitting was good, especially our clutch hitting," Clair said. "We had two comeback wins, which is always nice to see. Obviously it's early and we still have a lot of work to do." While dominant pitching has propelled the Jumbos' success in recent years, they also pose a legitimate offensive threat. Clair began this season right where she left off last year's All-American season. In 13 games, Clair has a .419 batting average, with four homers and 12 RBIs. Clair has led the NESCAC in homeruns the last two seasons, and looks intent on accomplishing the feat again. Ruscz also provides the Jumbos with a power threat. In the first week of her collegiate career, Ruscz blasted three homeruns and leads the team with 18 RBIs. Ruscz is one of eight incoming freshman that head coach Cheryl Milligan is hoping will have an immediate impact on the team. "It's nice to have a few new additions to the lineup in Cassie [Ruscz] and Shelby [Lipson]," Clair said. "The freshmen saw a good amount of time in Florida, and I really think all of them will be able to contribute in some way." Senior outfielder Sara Hedtler also started the season strong, hitting .372 with five walks. Junior outfielder Michelle Cooprider and sophomore infielder Christina Raso have provided the Jumbos with a spark on the base paths, stealing a combined seven bases in last week's games. Tufts will take on Bowdoin in a three-game set this weekend, in what will be its first home series and first NESCAC series of the year. The Bears also came out of the gate hot last week, winning six of their last seven contests en route to a 10-5 overall record. "Bowdoin's always our biggest rival in the NESCAC East," Clair said. "The three games we play against them each year are always big, especially after beating them in the NESCAC Championship series last year. They're going to be looking to get back at us, so it makes it even more exciting."
On the heels of a 46-3 season capped by its first-ever NCAA National Championship, the softball team was unanimously voted No. 1 in the 2014 National Fastpitch Coaches' Association Div. III preseason rankings. While the Jumbos are glad to be in the spotlight again, they know they will be judged by their performance on the field this season.
Last spring, the 2013 Tufts softball team made history. In May, the squad won its first NCAA Div. III National Championship and brought home the school's second women's title of the year. After taking a 6-5 win over SUNY Cortland to capture the title, the Jumbos head into the new academic year with the crown still perched atop their heads. Here's a brief look at the team's title run from last spring:
On the heels of an impressive spring break, Tufts began conference play with three games against Bates College over the weekend. The juggernaut Jumbos swept the Bobcats in a lopsided series highlighted by offensive fireworks, strong pitching performances and rock?solid defense.
After a 4?0 weekend that included a three?game sweep of conference rival Bates, the No. 9 softball team, which owns a perfect 12?0 record in the NESCAC, has clinched the first seed in the NESCAC East division.
Another start for Allyson Fournier, another dominant effort. Yesterday against Bridgewater State, the freshman was set to throw her third perfect game of the season before a bunt single by CorrieMcCue in the sixth inning broke her streak of 15 straight batters retired.
The softball team won four of five games this weekend, but the one loss will sting as the postseason approaches. One day after freshman pitcher Allyson Fournier tossed her second perfect game in the span of 10 days, the No. 11 Jumbos got a taste of their own medicine on Sunday, when Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU) senior hurler Molly Rathbun stifled a potent Tufts offense en route to a perfect game of her own.
Just past the midway point of the spring, the softball team has already exceeded expectations for 2012. With 17 games remaining in the regular season, the Jumbos, who own a 19?3 record, are approaching last year's win total of 23, and they will look to build on an eight?game winning streak tomorrow and Saturday against the struggling Colby Mules.
